The basic Medicaid Rule for nursing home residents is that they must all of their income, minus certain deductions, for their care. These deductions include a $60.00 per month personal needs allowance, a deduction for any uncovered medical cost (including medical insurance premiums) and, in case of a married applicant, an allowance for the spouse that continues to live at home if her or she needs income support. A deduction may also be allowed for a dependent child living at home. Continue reading →

When caring for a loved one who has Alzheimer’s or dementia, behavior can be one of the most difficult parts of the daily journey. It’s important to understand that the disease changes your loved one’s brain, and because of these changes, communication problems can arise. Being aware of some of the more common behavioral problems that come with dementia can help you give your loved one the best possible care. Continue reading →

Writing down your life’s story can be helpful to both you and your loved ones. There are several benefits to keeping track of your life in written form. Don’t worry if you’re not a writer; you don’t have to write a book. Keeping track of your daily life by documenting notes, photos, movie stubs, and other pieces of life’s little moments is enough. Continue reading →

The CMS is taking steps to make it easier to sort through Medicare coverage options, after a report said its current search options were badly presented and confusing and could lead some to make poor plan selections. Continue reading →

When an individual applies for Medicaid assistance in a nursing home, one of the first questions that is asked of them has to do with whether a transfer has been made of any asset for less than fair market values within five years (60 months) of the date of the application. If such a transfer has been made, a “penalty period” will result depending on the value of the gift. The larger the gift, the longer the penalty period. Continue reading →